Review: Toy Story 4 (contain spoiler)

How to begin this review? After a near perfect conclusion to a near perfect trilogy, fourth entry in a franchise is usually doomed to irrelevancy, but Toy Story 4 actually delves into some really meaningful themes of loyalty, purpose, and what it all means. Toy Story 4 is able justify its existence within the first five to ten minutes of the film, and pack a pretty solid emotional punch at the same time, and the first scene in the rain was borderline photorealistic. Pixar outdid themselves.

Toy Story 4 is Woody story, as usual, Woody acts with one singular purpose at all times: he must do what is best for his kid. But after saying goodbye to Andy and realizing that Bonnie may prefer the other toys over him, he’s left to consider his purpose, and Toy Story 4 become the journey of Woody when his purposes strengthened, always brave and never gives up, but in the end he realizes that once he’s fulfilled his purpose he needs something for himself and his friends will be ok without him.

Andy may be gone, but the characters that audiences have loved for twenty four years are still here and, arguably, better than ever. It never tries to be bigger than it is, Pixar focusing on the emotional moments and heart that the series is known for, the anxiety that both a kid and toy will suffer if they don’t have each other. Toy Story 4 surprisingly works to be completely honest.

Toy Story 4 may not have been necessary, but Pixar certainly did not hold anything back either. At first I may have questioned the existence of this film. My emotional core had been through enough after the third installment. But like a kid needs the stability of a loyal toy, I never knew how badly I needed this film. And the story I came away with, of Woody’s life beyond having a kid to love (and just the logic of the universe in general) has honestly left me wanting a Toy Story 5. It took me everywhere that needed to be explored.

Summary:

The idyllic life Buzz, Woody, and the rest find at Bonnie’s house is turned upside down when Bonnie summons an ancient eldritch demon by the name of Forky. Woody then must find Bo Peep to track down the scattered piece of the sword of light that is the only way to seal the evil spork away for good.

there’s this scene which gives me affliction;
after they jump out of the window (running away from the cat).
buzz murmured that, in a contrary what woody says not to leave any toy behind, alas, he still left buzz alone